Is it Difficult for Adults to Learn to Play the Piano?

It is often recommended to start young when learning to play the piano. It is because children are naturally more flexible mentally and physically, and they are able to include piano lessons as part of their cognitive learning. In contrast, adults would require conscious effort in order to learn a new skill, and more effort to learn to play a musical instrument.

But if you are asking if it is difficult for adults to learn to play the piano, the answer is no.

Why so? Here are some reasons that you may want to take into account, especially if you are an adult eager to learn to play the said instrument:

1.Adults are more alert towards new lessons.

Sure, they are conscious when it comes to learning a new skill, but this makes adults more vigilant towards the details of piano lessons. Adult students tend to be meticulous when it comes to the lessons provided to them, thus they are able to focus on the details of piano playing in the same way as kids do.

2.There are courses created specifically for adults.

When studying to play the piano, you need not start in the same level as child learners. This is because a lot of schools are now offering piano lessons for adults, and these are specially designed to cater to their learning capacities. Through these courses, you are able start learning piano lessons at an expected pace and progression, with less effort and pressure.

3.Courses are supplemented with video tutorials.

Unlike before, today’s piano lessons for adults are now accompanied with explainer and tutorial videos that can be viewed at any time. These are absolutely helpful for adult learners because they have additional reference materials to visit whenever they feel like practicing without a coach or trainer.

If you are currently looking for a school that offers piano courses for adults, make sure to check whether they include specially created video tutorials, as these serve as a big help in learning to play the piano faster.

4.Coaches are more patient with adult students.

Good news for adult learners: coaches that focus on adult piano lessons are more patient towards their students! This is because they know the learning capacities of adult students, and these are different from that of child learners. They recognize the fact that adults, while more conscious and vigilant, can also be easily distracted during lessons, and because playing the piano is a new skill, they grapple with each and every step of the lesson first before actually embracing the whole course. Don’t worry, your teacher understands you as you go through your piano playing journey.

5.The willingness to practice.

If there’s one thing that makes it difficult for adults to learn the piano, that would be the willingness to practice. Adult learners often think that once they are exposed to the lesson, they already know how to execute it. That doesn’t work that way. So yes, if you are learning to play the piano, you must have the willingness to practice, to spend hours doing drills until you finally master your lessons. By having the passion and determination to learn, playing the piano properly will not be difficult for you, regardless your age.